Hell's Gate
by the-Mad-Majesty-of-Muchness
Summary: "I knew I would probably be killed, and by god, that's a sacrafice I'll gladly make if I have to!" WARNING: Contains strong language and mention of rape. You have been warned.


**AN: I've decided to do my own version of what I think happened that fateful day in the cornfield, just after the catfight. Be aware, however, that this is not really for the faint of heart. I don't go into detail about what they do, I kind of pull a Stephanie Meyer and fade to black before that happens, but there is some VERY strong language in here, not only in English, but also in Fiyero's native tongue. There is also mention of rape. As you read this, I only ask that you keep that in mind.**

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><p>They dumped him uncerimonously onto the ground. The leader kicked him just below the ribs, sneering in a mixture of disgust and triumph. Fiyero looked up at the man, his piercing ice blue gaze burning with hatred. "Gonna tell us where your little girlfriend went?" the man asked. Fiyero spit on the ground near his boot. "Go to hell, Keris," he said defiantly.<p>

The man, Keris, grabbed Fiyero's hair, forcing his head up. "Let me rephrase that," he said in a low, threatening voice. "Tell us where she went, or you won't see tomorrow's sunrise. Now, where the hell is she?"  
><em>"Laetan, kano mavanah velspa dashna."<em>

Keris looked up at the other guards. "Anyone know what he just said?" he asked them. The youngest of the group stepped forward. Keris raised an eyebrow at him. "Daeri? You speak Arjiki? Really?"

"I'm not completely fluent, but I know enough to have a proper conversation with someone, and I know enough to understand him," Daeri said, nodding to the former captain. Although he was still a bit skeptical, Keris nodded for the young man to continue. "He said, 'Die, you fucking son of a bitch.'"

Keris glared at Fiyero, who was grinning smugly to himself. He drew his dagger and pressed it against the prince's throat. "I'm only gonna ask you one more time; Where is the bitch?"

The change in Fiyero was instentaneous and drastic. No sooner had the words left Keris' mouth than the young prince broke free of his iron grip and went into a frenzy of rage. Half of what he said was a string of profanities that would make even the most hardened sailor cover his ears, and the other half came out in his native tongue. He kept switching back and forth between languages, so furious that he couldn't stick to just one for more than thirty seconds at a time.

One of the others turned to Daeri, whose eyes had grown extremely wide. "What's he saying?" the older one asked. Daeri merely shook his head. "Trust me," he said, "you really don't want to know."

_"Mava kano,_ Keris! _Mava kano-_Let go of me, _kano_ _mavanah_ bastards!"

The two guards who had yanked Fiyero off of Keris threw him down. Keris got to his feet and looked around. He picked up a thin tree branch that was laying on the ground nearby and struck the prince with it forcefully. "Somebody take his shirt off," Keris ordered. Nobody moved. "Don't just stand there like idiots, do it, now!"

Although confused, the guards did as they were told and removed Fiyero's shirt. Again, Keris took the branch and hit Fiyero's back with it, causing the latter to collapse. With nothing between his skin and the rough tree bark this time, Fiyero started bleeding.

Seeing his chance, one of the other guards struck the butt of his gun against Fiyero's forehead, causing more blood to trickle down the side of his face. Keris threw his head back and laughed loudly. Fiyero glared at him. "Laugh all you want," he said.

"I'd endure an eternity of this without complaint if that's what it took to keep her safe. I would much rather die a thousand deaths than see her captured by you bastards! I knew when I let myself be taken in her place that I would proabably be killed, and by god, that is a sacrifice that I will gladly make if I have to! She is worth more than a hundred million of all of you combined! Hell, she's worth more than everybody in this entire damn country put together, and I will do whatever the hell it takes to make sure that none of you ever lay a finger on her!"

Keris pinned him down roughly and abruptly. "I bet," he began slowly, "that the two of you had lots of fun last night." Fiyero narrowed his eyes, but said nothing. "I bet," Keris continued, "that you fucked each other like all hell."  
>"What we did or didn't do last night is none of your fucking business, so piss off."<p>

"Banged 'er real good, didn't ya? Whattaya wanna bet she's all knocked up, huh? Think the kid'll wind up green like her?"  
>"Either way, it'll still be more beautiful than any child you'll possibly ever have."<br>"She'd be a horrible mother."  
>"Better than any girl you'll ever fuck."<br>"You'd be a terrible father."  
>"I'd give it my best effort and pray to whatever higher power is out there that I'd be better at than you could ever hope to be."<p>

Keris sneered and punched him. Fiyero cried out in pain as blood started flowing from his nostrils and a bitter, almost metallic taste filled his mouth. When he spit, the blood made his saliva a pinkish color. He moaned, then swallowed. "Keris," he whispered.

"There's something I've been meaning to tell you for awhile."  
>"And what would that be?"<br>"Y'member a few months ago when I accidentally walked in on you and that maid who you claimed was your sister while you were having a private conversation?"  
>"Yeah?"<p>

"I know what you were really doing, and that she wasn't your sister. She told me after you left the room. I prob'ly could've guessed you'd try to pull something like that sooner or later. I remember when you were a new recruit. I saw a lotta potential in you, the makings of a warrior fierce enough to take on the Thousand Year Grasslands if he was so inclined. But I also saw something else. Darkness. Evil. The makings a man who, if he ever became a powerful leader, would let all the power and authority go to his head and inflate his ego to ridiculous proportions. The kind of man who would claim a war victory by going into towns and taking the men captive, killing the childeren, and raping the women. The things that poor girl told me only confirmed it. You probably thought that by choosing someone who was of a lower station, you'd be able to get away with it because she wouldn't try to do something about it and she'd be too scared to tell anyone. You thought nobody would care, just because she doesn't have a fancy title or something. But you were wrong about that. There will always be someone who cares, even for the servants. And guess what? That someone is me."

Keris narrowed his eyes, then slowly pulled away and stood up. Fiyero lay on the ground and watched him closely, breathing heavily. He shook his head, wincing from the throbbing pain in his temples. "Look, we both know how this ends," he whispered hoarsely.

"You and I both know that I'm not about to betray her by telling you where she is, and we also know that you're not about to just walk away from this cornfield and leave me be. So why don't we just end this thing, right here, right ow, and get it over with already?"

Keris let out a humorless laugh as he put his hands on his hips and looked up at the sky. "You're brave, Fiyero, I'll give ya that. Bravery causes stupidity sometimes, and this is probably one of those times. But I do have to admire how dedicated to this girl you are. I know it's probably hard for you to believe right now, but it's been an honor serving under you, Captain. I'm sorry it has to end this way for you."

He sighed, then nodded to his second-in-command. "Alright, boys. Go ahead. Do your worst."

Only Daeri had even the slightest trace of regret or apology in his eyes as they moved towards him.

Fiyero closed his eyes and whispered only four words:

"I love you, Fae..."

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><p><strong>AN: <em>Mava<em> _kano_ means "fuck you." _Mava_=fuck, and _kano_=you. Just in case you weren't able to look at the phrase _kano __mavanah velspa dashna_ along with Daeri's translation and take that away from it.**

**Since I know that someone is eventually going to ask what Keris was "really doing" with that little maid girl, I'm just going to go ahead and tell you that he was about to rape her, and then Fiyero just happened to walk in at exactly the right moment, thus unknowingly (and unintentionally) saving the poor girl's virginity.**

**In case you're wondering why he's not up on the pole, it's because in my mind, they beat him, and THEN put him on the pole once they're finished, after he's been knocked unconcious.**

**There is a reason that Daeri was more hesitant to hurt Fiyero than anyone else, and it's not just because he's the youngest. Guess why, and MAYBE I'll publish a multi-chapter sequal that explains it, and features Daeri as one of the main characters alongside Fiyero as one of his closest allies. I'll be putting a poll on my profile about the subject, so please come and vote.**

**Disclaimer: Daeri and Keris are mine, as is the maid that Keris tried to rape, but everybody else mentioned belongs to their respectuful owners. (coughGregoryMaguirecough)**


End file.
